UC Santa Cruz students hunting for jobs, internships

SANTA CRUZ -- UC Santa Cruz students intent on impressing on-campus recruiters at Tuesday's job and internship fair came dressed for success: guys wearing suits and gals in pantsuits or dresses with high heels.

"They have to go to some trouble to wear heels on this hillside campus," said Barbara Silverthorne, director of the UCSC Career Center.

More than 30 employers attended the spring job and internship fair at the West Field House. By 1 p.m., halfway through the event, about 250 students had participated, according to Silverthorne.

The job market has improved since spring 2009 when California was deep in recession, but hiring projections for this year have cooled since fall, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Employers anticipate hiring 2.1 percent more new college graduates compared to last year, but that is down from a 13 percent increase projected in September. The major in greatest demand then was finance, followed by computer science, business management, accounting and mechanical engineering.

Adam Thomas, a recruiter with ADM Inc., said he had spoken with math majors interested in the company's work evaluating energy efficiency programs for utilities and state governments. The firm, which has offices in Fremont and Sacramento, has "five or six openings," he said.

Hanna Pitz, a senior philosophy and history major from Pleasanton, wore a flowery print dress and a smile as she looked for a tutoring position.

"I'm very interested in Playworks San Francisco," she said. "I'm looking to stay in the Bay Area."

She was happy to find some UCSC alums among the recruiters.

For Eric Chung, a senior business management economics major from San Francisco, Sherwin-Williams was his No. 1 choice.

"They have a lot of training and they have stores in San Francisco," he said. "I could live with my parents."

Companies such as Sherwin-Williams, Target and Enterprise Rent-A-Car want undergrads on the management track, Silverthorne said.

Both Target and Northwestern Mutual had students waiting in line to speak to recruiters.

Cecilia Jung Im, a neuroscience and psychology major from Huntington Beach, decided to get an early start. Only a freshman, she identified several employers she is looking at.

Silverthorne said an early start could help because it's taking graduates six months to find a job.

Aurora Kasten, a sophomore Latin American and Latino studies major from San Mateo, also was thinking ahead.

"I'm hoping for a summer internship," she said, noticing the demand for computer science and science majors.

Catherine Shemwell of Santa Clara, a computer engineering major a year from graduation, was looking for an internship.

When the recruiter with 7-year-old Aeria Games asked Shemwell if she knew the scripting language PHP, she was able to say yes. His next question, for some, could be a stumper: What have you done with it?

Shemwell was undaunted.

"I'm going home and write something and email it to the guy I talked with," she said.